Journal of Education and Research

Journal of Education and Research, Volume 14, Issue 1, 2024, 75-103, https://doi.org/10.51474/jer/16195

Publication date: Mar 27, 2024

Views: 533 | Downloads: 163

Participatory Action Research (PAR) represents an esteemed methodology within the realm of Social Science Research. Renowned for its capacity to foster cooperative learning and holistic advancement, PAR exhibits the potential to facilitate practical interventions tailored to specific contexts. Furthermore, it affords the opportunity for community-level research experiences to assume a pivotal role within the academic requisites of university researchers. To this background, this reflective inquiry embarks upon an exploration of the undertakings of a doctoral candidate and research supervisors who engaged in PAR as a means to engender collaboration among educational institutions, including schools and universities, in collaboration with the overseas community. The overarching objective of this PAR endeavor was the enhancement of educational quality through recognition and self-administration of innovative pedagogical approaches initiated within the school setting at the basic and secondary school levels. While championing the democratization of knowledge through collaborative ventures, we encountered manifold contextual factors hampering the complete realization of autonomy. These hindrances encompass cultural norms ingrained within both the school and university environments, in addition to conflicting societal expectations.

knowledge democracy participatory action research acknowledgment and autonomy educational enhancement tripartite collaboration

1. Asian Development Bank. (2015). Innovative strategies in higher education for accelerated human resource development in South Asia, Nepal. https://www.adb.org/publications/innovative-strategies-higher-education-accelerated-human-resource-development-south-asia-nepal
2. Arhar, J., Niesz, T., Brossmann, J., Koebley, S., O’Brien, K., Loe, D., & Black, F. (2013). Creating a ‘third space’ in the context of a university–school partnership: Supporting teacher action research and the research preparation of doctoral students. Educational Action Research, 21(2), 218-236. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2013.789719
3. Bevins, S., & Price, G. (2014). Collaboration between academics and teachers: A complex relationship. Educational Action Research, 22(2), 270-284. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2013.869181
4. Bhatta, P. (2012, April 01). Global ranking a dream too far for Nepal’s long-degraded universities. University World News. https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20120328082036102
5. Cook, T., Brandon, T., Zonouzi, M., & Thomson, L. (2019). Destabilising equilibriums: Harnessing the power of disruption in participatory action research. Educational Action Research, 27(3), 379-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2019.1618721
6. Dickson, G., & Green, K. L. (2001). The external researcher in participatory action research. Educational Action Research, 9(2), 243-260. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650790100200150
7. Edwards-Groves, C., Olin, A., & Karlberg-Granlund, G. (2016). Partnership and recognition in action research: Understanding the practices and practice architectures for participation and change. Educational Action Research, 24(3), 321-333. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2015.1129983
8. Edwards-Groves, C., & Kemmis, S. (2015). Pedagogy, education and praxis: Understanding new forms of intersubjectivity through action research and practice theory. Educational Action Research, 24(1), 77–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2015.1076730
9. Fals-Borda, O., & Rahman, M. A. (1991). Action and knowledge: Breaking the monopoly with participatory action research. Apex Press.
10. Fine, M. (2018). Just research in contentious times: Widening the methodological imagination. Teachers College Press.
11. Fletcher, M., & Zuber-Skerritt, O. (2008). Professional development through action research: Case studies in South African higher education. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 21, 73–96.
12. Franz, N. K. (2005). Transformative learning in intraorganization partnerships: Facilitating personal, joint, and organizational change. Journal of Transformative Education, 3(3), 254–270. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344605275099
13. Hall, B. (2011). Towards a knowledge democracy movement: Contemporary trends in community university research partnerships. Special Issue of Rizoma Freireano on Global Developments in Community University Research Partnerships, 9.
14. Hall, B. L., & Tandon, R. (2017). Decolonization of knowledge, epistemicide, participatory research and higher education. Research for All, 1(1), 6–19. https://doi.org/10.18546/RFA.01.1.02
15. Kerney, J., Zuber-Skerritt, O., & Wood, L. (2013). Community-university partnerships. International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, 6, 113-130.
16. Ledwith, M., & Springett, J. (2010). Participatory practice: Community-based action for transformative change. Policy Press.
17. Luitel, B. C., & Taylor, P. C. (2019). Introduction: Research as transformative learning for sustainable futures. In P. C. Taylor & B. C. Luitel (Eds.), Research as transformative learning for sustainable futures: Glocal voices and visions (pp. 1-16). Brill-Sense.
18. Mackenzie, C. (2008). Relational autonomy, normative authority and perfectionism, Journal of Social Philosophy, 39(4), 512–533.
19. Olin, A., Almqvist, J., & Hamza, K. (2021). To recognize oneself and others in teacher-researcher collaboration. Educational Action Research, 31(2), 248–264. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2021.1897949
20. Oshana, M. (2006). Personal autonomy in society. Ashgate.
21. Ricoeur, P. (2005). The course of recognition. Harvard University Press.
22. Rowell, L.L., Polush, E.Y., Riel, M., & Bruewer, A. (2015). Action researchers’ perspectives about the distinguishing characteristics of action research: A delphi and learning circles mixed methods study. Educational Action Research, 23(2), 243-270. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2014.990987
23. Sharma, G. R., & Batala, L.K. (2016). Higher education institute’s R&D policy in Nepali context. International Journal of Education and Research, 4(11): 139-150.
24. Solvason, C., Cliffe, J., & Snowden, M. (2018). Researching in school – creating a meaningful school/university alliance: a reflection, Educational Action Research, 26(4), 589-602. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2017.1388828
25. Stern, T. (2019). Participatory action research and the challenges of knowledge democracy, Educational Action Research, 27(3), 435-451. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2019.1618722
26. Taylor, P. C., Taylor, E., & Luitel, B. C. (2012). Multi-paradigmatic transformative research as/for teacher education: An integral perspective. In K. Tobin (Ed.), Second international handbook of science education (pp. 373-387). Springer.
27. Wagle, S. K., Luitel, B. C., & Krog, E. (2023a). Exploring possibilities for participatory approaches to contextualized teaching and learning: A case froma public schoolinNepal. Educational Action Research, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/09650792.2023.2183874
28. Wagle, S. K., Dhungana, P., Luitel, B. C., Krogh, E., & Dahal, N. (2023b). Experiencing transformative learning during participatory needs assessment of a public school: Journeys and arrivals to relational ontology(ies). The Qualitative Report, 28(12), 3553-3571

We acknowledge that the paper was prepared with the support from the NORHED Rupantaran Project entitled “Innovations in Teaching and Learning through Contextualized Approaches to Increase the Quality, Relevance, and Sustainability of Education in Nepal” which has been jointly implemented in Nepal by Tribhuvan University (TU), Kathmandu University (KU), and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).

The authors received no financial support for this article's research, authorship and/or publication.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.